Butcher says demand for veal is increasing

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says 700,000 male calves are produced as a by product of Australia's dairy industry every year.

In most instances the calves, which are of little or no value to dairy farmers, are destroyed after seven days.

The RSPCA's Melina Tensen says if people would eat the calf meat, commonly known as veal, the calves would be worth more and have better lives.

"As long as we're drinking milk and consuming dairy products there's going to be bobby calves. If there's a market out there for animals that can't go back into the dairy herd, if they can be raised for another purpose, and we have that value adding - obviously the more valuable the animal, the better it's going to be treated." she said.

Gippsland butcher Dave Shaw says veal makes up about 10 per cent of his sales.

He says while it was more popular when his father was a butcher, its popularity is increasing.